The European Parliament has just given smartphone and tablet makers a significant headache.
The European Union (EU) is about to usher in a new era of smartphones with easily replaceable batteries.
The European Parliament approved new rules(Opens in a new window) regulating the design, production, and recycling of all rechargeable batteries supplied in the EU earlier this week.
According to the new laws, all electric vehicles, light modes of transportation (e.g., electric scooters), and rechargeable industrial batteries (above 2kWh) must have a mandatory carbon footprint declaration, label, and digital passport.
Consumers must be able to “easily remove and replace” “portable batteries” used in devices such as cellphones, tablets, and cameras. Manufacturers will need to rethink their designs drastically, as most phones and tablets now seal the battery away and require specialized tools and knowledge to access and replace them safely.
The European Union has already required Apple to move from a Lightning port to a USB-C port on iPhones, with the iPhone 15 slated to be the first to do so. Now it appears that Apple, like every other smartphone manufacturer, will have to find out how to give access to the battery inside future iPhones.
The new regulations also establish rigorous deadlines for collecting garbage and recovering materials from obsolete batteries. The percentages for each grow at predetermined intervals between now and 2031, when 61% waste collection and 95% material recovery from outdated portable batteries are required. Minimum levels of recycled content in new batteries will also be required, but only “eight years after the entry into force of the regulation.”
The new rules were decisively approved by the European Parliament, with 587 votes in favor, nine against, and 20 abstentions. In terms of following steps, the European Council “will now have to formally endorse the text before its publication in the EU Official Journal shortly thereafter and entry into force.” According to Android Authority(Opens in a new window), the regulation will take effect in early 2027, although the EU may postpone it if manufacturers demonstrate that they require more time to comply.
The European Parliament is also considering whether non-rechargeable portable batteries should be phased out entirely by December 31, 2030.
